My Quarterly Progress Report – April 2012

by Scott on April 6, 2012

“Aim for progress, not perfection.”

Welcome to my Quarterly Progress Report. At the end of each quarter I summarize what I did, what I learned, and what I’m working on now.

I created my blog last year because I wanted to advance in the workplace. At the time, according to a performance review I received from my boss, my results were average. After taking a hard look at myself, I realized I had no other choice; in order to advance, I would have to deliver. I had to produce results.

My Quarterly Progress Report is a tool I use to track my progress and share with you what is and isn’t working. It’s my hope that you’ll take something away from this report that will help you advance your career and make a dent in the world.

What’s happening at work?

This year is about “getting paid.” The last few years have been extremely challenging at my company. During the tough economic times I had to buckle down and focus on ways to improve my business’s performance. I was able to come up with a few ideas that will have a drastic impact on the long-term financial performance of my company. I’m in the process of implementing these ideas and it’s exciting to think about the change that is taking place, right before my eyes.

I must admit, it wasn’t any fun when we were struggling. Now I have made an impact and it feels great. And so does the pay.

I couldn’t ask for a better start to 2012.

What’s happening on the site?

A lot!

My biggest accomplishment this quarter was completing the 45-Minute MBA series. In the next few weeks I’ll convert it into an e-book and offer it as a free download on my site. The 45-Minute MBA is a 15,000 word compilation that teaches you everything I learned in business school in less than 45 minutes of reading. My final article in the series, “The One Year Self-Directed MBA Program,” contains a unique series of actions you can take over the course of a year to produce big-time results in your professional life.

I’m putting the final touches on the e-book now and I look forward to sharing it with you.

Do you like the new look?

We got a face-lift this quarter! I made a promise that once I passed 1000 monthly visits, I would reward myself with a professionally designed website. I passed 1000 visits in December which meant it was time to get out my wallet!

I hired Caleb Wojcik from Pocket Changed and he did an awesome job. If you’re looking for someone to help you build a website, I highly recommend Caleb. Also, check out his blog “Pocket Changed” where he just released “The Get Paid Manifesto.”

Another connection I made recently was Ray Elderd, a Colonel in the U.S. Army (and awesome editor). Ray read one of the articles I posted on Linked In, offered a few grammatical suggestions, and has now become my full-time editor. Ray takes my writing to the next level. He’s an awesome resource. If you’re looking for some writing tips, contact Ray. He is extremely talented.

Here’s how my traffic count looked this quarter:

January: 1752 visits

February: 1963 visits

March: 8072 visits

March was a huge month for me, primarily because of the article “What Do Jesus, Mike Krzyzewski, and Jimmy Buffett Have in Common?” That article received over 6000 page views! It’s funny to think that in school I’d write a paper that only 2 people would read (the teacher and I) and today I write a blog post (in the same amount of time) that is read by thousands. That’s the power of the internet!

Want to change the world?

I want to take a moment to tell you about a product that I recently purchased (and love). It’s called the Empire Building Kit by Chris Guillebeau. It’s a 365-day email series where Chris walks you through the steps to create your own empire (or business) around your passion. It also includes multiple case studies and video interviews of entrepreneurs who earn a steady income from their products and services. It’s a unique product that I highly recommend if you want to start your own business. I’m currently on day #18 in the email series.

I don’t make many sales pitches on my site but this is a potential game-changer for you. If you want to create something of lasting value in your life (that pays), check out the Empire Building Kit.

I’d like to start a mastermind group with all the folks who buy the program. I’ll create a forum where we can share ideas and support each other as we build our empires.

What did I learn?

This quarter I learned that it’s important not to try to do everything myself. Time is my most valuable resource and I have to be extremely selective where I spend it. Work is challenging and occupies most of my time during the week. I spend the evenings with my family and I wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day to write the content for this site. Needless to say, I don’t have much free time.

I find it best to ask for help when I need it. In the past, I tried to try to figure everything out on my own. I would often spend hours or days on something that someone else could do in just a few minutes. I now accept the fact that I’m not perfect. I check my ego at the door. I have weaknesses. Many weaknesses.

Now I focus on my strengths and let others fill in the gaps.

What’s ahead?

So far I have achieved about 20% of the goals I set at the beginning of the year. I have yet to:

*Exceed my quota at work by 8%,

*Get 10,000 monthly visits on my blog,

*Add a YouTube video to my blog,

*Land a public speaking opportunity, and

*Advance.

I plan to start another series in a few months. I’m in the beginning stages of mapping it out, but the basic idea is that it will serve as a “catalyst” for your career. I’m still in the beginning stages, stay tuned!

That’s it!

Thank you so much for your interest in my journey. Have a great weekend and enjoy your friends and family.

Again, if you’re interested in building your own empire (and changing the world), check out the Empire Building Kit. I will invite everyone who purchases the product to a forum where we can share ideas and support each other as we build our empires. Please send me an email once you buy it so we can connect.